(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly to a cellular/PCS network including at least one distributed-RF base station and multiple distributed cells.
(b) Description of Related Art
A traditional PCS or cellular communications network includes a number of spaced apart base stations, each station including antennas located on a tower or other structure at the base station. Such a base station, with antennas, is referred to as a cell site, and the antennas separate the surrounding geographical area into sectors (often each cell site forms three sectors). A cellular user communicates with a base station via antennas; a mobile user may be "handed off" as the vehicle moves from one sector to another or from the jurisdiction of one base station to another.
It is also known in the prior art to provide a PCS or cellular distributed cell network including a base station and a number of distributed cells. In this structure, a number of cells are spaced from the base station and are coupled with the base station by various transmission mediums. Transmission between the base station and the distributed cells may be through mediums such as cable, fiber and/or air. The distributed cells may include remote cells, narrow-beam cells and repeater cells, for example.
In a prior art distributed cell network, a forward call to a designated mobile, for example, is sent by the base station to all distributed cells of a sector. The operative cell where the mobile is located then forwards the call to the mobile. After the mobile responds with a reverse signal, the base station continues to send forward calls to all cells of the sector. There are disadvantages to this arrangement such as the fact that unnecessary energy is expended when transmitting to non-operative cells (i.e., to other than the operative cell where the mobile is located). Further, needless forward link capacity to the non-operative cells is wasted.